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Group 1 Inglis Double on Easter Eve

3rd Apr 2010

Faint Perfume highlighted the jewels in next week’s Easter Session II, while Littorio entered the annals of racing’s great bargains in an Inglis Group 1 double at Rosehill today.

Easter II has only been held for the past two years, but its merit was further underlined with a stakes double at Sydney racing’s richest day today.

FAINT PERFUME (P$40,000 2008 Easter II, 3f Shamardal-Zona) confirmed her status as Australia’s best three-year-old staying filly when staging an awesome finishing sprint to reel in Valdemoro to win the Vinery Stud Storm Queen Stakes.

It was the Bart Cummings trained filly’s second Group 1 success and she becomes the fifth VRC Oaks winner in seven years to win this race. Her earnings now top $1.36million with five wins in 10 starts.

Think Big Stud have a Pendragon half-brother to Faint Perfume catalogued as Lot 273 at next week’s Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Easter II was also in the spotlight earlier in the day when NEESON (P$65,000 2008 Easter II, 3g Mossman-Favorite Actress) won the Listed Darby Munro Stakes. His record now reads out at five wins from 11 starts for earnings topping $300,000.

LITTORIO ($15,000 2006 Premier, 5g Bellotto-Our Centasea) missed last year’s spring carnival, but the Nigel Blackiston trained five-year-old made up for lost time when he stormed home to win the Group 1 BMW (2400m).

Littorio was a Group 1 winner of the Turnbull Stakes last season, but this was a new career peak and his earnings have now reached $2.3million.

Another timely Easter reminder came late in the day when Patinack's emerging stayer COUNT ENCOSTA ($325,000 2008 Easter, 3g Encosta De Lago-Sovereign Countess) made it three on end in outgunning favoured Descarado in the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes.

This was the 56th stakes success for Easter graduates in Australia this season.

Coolmore stud will offer a full-sister to Count Encosta as Lot 177 at Easter.

The next chance to secure an Inglis yearling comes up with the 2010 Australian Easter Yearling Sale, starting this Tuesday, April 6 and running over three days.

In addition to Faint Perfume and Count Encosta’s siblings, another important update today came from the Group 1 Queen of the Turf, with Montana Flyer running third to Typhoon Tracy. Torryburn Stud will offer an Al Maher three-quarter-brother as Lot 60 on Tuesday.

Golden Slipper winner Crystal Lily’s sire Stratum is represented by six yearlings in the catalogue.

Sirecam videos and photos of yearlings are now online for those unable to attend Newmarket for inspections.